Plan Would Lower Water Bills of Poor

The Los Angeles City Council approved a motion Tuesday that will reduce the water bills of about 40,000 low-income residents.

The reduction, which would apply only to customers of the city’s water lifeline program, is meant to offset a 27% increase in sewer service fees scheduled to go into effect next month.

The amount not paid by customers with reduced rates will be subsidized by other customers, who will be charged about 7 cents more a month, said officials. The measure, initially proposed by Councilwoman Gloria Molina, must now be approved by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

Although the water lifeline program, like several other special rate plans, is currently only offered to the elderly and disabled, the council instructed the chief administrative officer to study the possibility of such reductions being expanded to include all the city’s low-income residents.